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How much does a B12 shot cost? The answer depends on where you live, whether you have medical insurance, and how you plan to get the injection. Vitamin B12 injection prices also vary depending on the form used. Methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin are native forms of B12, while hydroxycobalamin or cyanocobalamin are not.
Let’s take a closer look at your options.
B12 Shot Cost: It Depends on the Form
Several forms of B12 are available by injection. The most common options outside hospitals are methylcobalamin and cyanocobalamin.
Methylcobalamin is an active form of B12 with distinct nerve-repairing properties and a superior absorption rate. In contrast, cyanocobalamin is an inactive, synthetic, slightly-toxic form of B12 that the body must convert. Not natural to humans.
Even though it is inexpensive, we do not recommend cyano B12 to anyone because the body must use a methylation reaction to cleave its cyanide molecule, which is a demanding process. So, let’s focus on methyl-B12 injection prices.
Methylcobalamin B12 Injection Price
How much is a B12 shot then? Let’s look at your options.
Private doctor
Expect to pay anywhere from $50 to $250 in private clinics. Per shot. If you need daily or weekly injections, it will add up quickly. Not a good option.
Infusion clinic
Some clinics will drip methyl B12 directly into your veins (IV, or intravenously), but each visit will cost you anywhere from $100 to $500.
Order online and self-inject
In the US, new regulations by the FDA and state boards of pharmacy have made it much more difficult to sell B12 shots online. Unlike before, a physician now has to issue a prescription and be licensed in the state where the customer is located.
As a result, several online providers now offer phone consultations with doctors, bundling the consultation and prescription fees into the total price. At the time of writing, prices were about $150 for a 10 mg vial or $250 for a 50 mg vial.
Be careful when choosing an online provider. We’ve seen websites sell B12 without clear documentation or quality control, and some appear to source it from Alibaba.com.
Update:
Our readers suffer from pernicious anemia and need lifelong B12 shots, so we partnered up with a lab in the UK to offer vials of medical-grade methylcobalamin for $129 or less, which can bring the cost per shot down to $3.10-$3.90. For comparison, it’s lower than an average cyanocobalamin injection price (~$5 at local US pharmacies).
Keep B12 Injection Costs Low
For people who need regular B12 injections, the costs can add up quickly and become a serious financial burden. Over time, repeated clinic visits can easily mean thousands of dollars a month for those on a daily injection protocol. In such cases, self-injection kits offer a practical way to keep the cost of B12 injections low.
Be well.